Marcello sits quietly brooding in the waiting area of the hospital. His breathing is visibly heavy under his work clothes, and his normally cheery smile is gone from under his grey beard. His eyes are locked on the two police officers guarding the hallway leading down to the operating room, his thoughts racing after the argument he just had with the doctor, who had disappeared with his daughter down the hallway. His wife, Maria, is at the reception desk in quiet discussion with the nurse behind the counter. Finishing their discussion, Maria comes and sits next to Marcello, wrapping her arm around him in a comforting way.
"I know you are upset, but there 's nothing we can do for now. Secret government stuff--" she starts to tell him but he interrupts her, "That's bullshit!" His outburst attracts the looks of some of the other patrons in the waiting area. "Our daughter is ill, and I won't just sit here and wait while she is subjected to some secret treatment! Mysterious illness my ass," he hushes himself for a moment, "they probably figured out she's half-fae and want to do some kind of experiment."
Maria sighed, "It's not like I don't also have fears, but I've never seen a sickness like this, especially among the fae. This is the best hospital in the city, and Benito was very kind to offer us this option."
"Pfft," a doubtful smirk appears from under his scruff, "Chief Lucibello is only interested in himself. I've known him long enough to know that doing this for us has something in it for him."
"I understand how you feel, honey, but please just be patient and have faith. I believe everything will be okay." Maria gives him a little squeeze and rubs his shoulder, trying to calm him down. He takes a deep breath and leans into her arms a bit and looks around the room. Unlike other hospitals in the city, the decorations are not as bland. Bio-luminescent lamps sit in the corners of the waiting area, their light blue light mixing with the standard ceiling lights to give the room a more calming air. There are a few fake plants that look like various underwater flora along the walls that are painted a greenish blue, completing the ocean theme. Even with the intentionally-designed calming atmosphere, all Marcello can think about is how to get past the guards to investigate what they might be doing with his daughter.
About an hour passes as the older couple continues to wait for some word about their daughter. As time passes, a few other patients come and go through the waiting room, while other friends and family also sit scattered among the room waiting for their respective patients. At one point, a doctor approaches one group -- a younger man with a small child -- and seemingly gives them some bad news as the man begins to look upset and the child confused.
"I know you are upset, but there 's nothing we can do for now. Secret government stuff--" she starts to tell him but he interrupts her, "That's bullshit!" His outburst attracts the looks of some of the other patrons in the waiting area. "Our daughter is ill, and I won't just sit here and wait while she is subjected to some secret treatment! Mysterious illness my ass," he hushes himself for a moment, "they probably figured out she's half-fae and want to do some kind of experiment."
Maria sighed, "It's not like I don't also have fears, but I've never seen a sickness like this, especially among the fae. This is the best hospital in the city, and Benito was very kind to offer us this option."
"Pfft," a doubtful smirk appears from under his scruff, "Chief Lucibello is only interested in himself. I've known him long enough to know that doing this for us has something in it for him."
"I understand how you feel, honey, but please just be patient and have faith. I believe everything will be okay." Maria gives him a little squeeze and rubs his shoulder, trying to calm him down. He takes a deep breath and leans into her arms a bit and looks around the room. Unlike other hospitals in the city, the decorations are not as bland. Bio-luminescent lamps sit in the corners of the waiting area, their light blue light mixing with the standard ceiling lights to give the room a more calming air. There are a few fake plants that look like various underwater flora along the walls that are painted a greenish blue, completing the ocean theme. Even with the intentionally-designed calming atmosphere, all Marcello can think about is how to get past the guards to investigate what they might be doing with his daughter.
About an hour passes as the older couple continues to wait for some word about their daughter. As time passes, a few other patients come and go through the waiting room, while other friends and family also sit scattered among the room waiting for their respective patients. At one point, a doctor approaches one group -- a younger man with a small child -- and seemingly gives them some bad news as the man begins to look upset and the child confused.